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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: RE: Excuse me, but there is NO such thing as "Ear Training!" posted by Bill Thomas on April 10, 2009 at 22:11:21:
The key word here is 'can' and you shouldn't believe everything you read on spec sheets.
If you re-read what I said, I was speaking of sound systems and while SACD player manufacturers all claim a 120 db dynamic range, there are no recordings that come any where near this and for very good reason. As a professional audio engineers for over 25 years and someone who has produced and recorded live music; a useable dynamic range within a recording of 60 db is exceptional. No, this is not the same as signal to noise ratio.
You are right when you say levels of 130 db can be experienced at live venues. However, the ambient noise level at a rock concert is in the 80 db range so the actual dynamic range is 50 db and usually less. The 130 db spl is only found dangerously close to the loudspeakers and I believe you will find the actual spl at the mixing (centre seating) position to be a much more pallatable 110-112 db. with peaks marginally higher.
130 db will drive all but the most devoted fans running for their lives, I assure you. It is NOT a pleasant experience and it does cause hearing loss. This is why employees in factories are required to wear hearing protection.
As for in home systems, I have never experienced anything near 130 db. Of course I don't listen to music with anyone that stupid either. The laws of physics make this scenario very difficult to achieve as the loudspeakers used would have to be extremely efficient and also have very, very high power handling capacity. ie. pro gear driven by high powered amps in a small room. It you did achieve an spl of 130 db. you would notice that the noise floor was not 0 db but most likely 30-40 db but then again your hearing would have already have been compromised and you wouldn't notice this subtlety.
You have obviously missed my point regarding high-end pricing. I was not saying that the more you spend the better it sounds. My point was well built gear whether it be cabling or components costs more and delivers more than cheap crap but to spend huge amounts of cash in the assumption that there will be another quantum leap in performance could be a disappointment. I practice what I preach. ie: My SACD player retails for $2200.00 and to my ears performs as well as the Esoterics, Meridians, LINNs and Cary audio costing thousands more.
If you have read any of my other postings, and admittedly I don't post much you will come across some comments I made regarding the sea of BS in which the audio industry swims. As a rep I am a part of this industry. The company I rep for in Canada shares the philosophy that you shouldn't have to mortgage your home to get good audio. We produce cost effective products that can compete favorably with the over-priced products that irritate you for some reason. No one is putting a gun to our heads to buy anything.
After reading your posting, I don't believe we are very far apart in our philosophies. I buy used gear. My loudspeakers retailed for $6400.00 usd. I purchased them 'as new' but 5 or 6 years old for $2200.00 cad. (A great bargain, I must say) Same with my SETs ; 60% off for used.
I have heard loudspeakers that cost 10 or 20 times what mine did and found them unlistenable or at least fatiguing. You won't get much of an argument out of me.
This is what i believe this audio forum is for or should be used for. Assisting people into making wise purchases in their quest towards their personal audio nirvana. I peruse this forum perhaps once or twice a month and only contribute when I read outrageous or ignorant (often the same thing) postings often based on something someone read, somewhere at some time or even worse a posting that somehow pumps up their ego which is firmly attached to their choice of sound system components.
"A nod is as good as a wink, to a blind man"
'Listen to the music; not the imperfection'
the finnman
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- RE: Excuse me, but there is NO such thing as "Ear Training!" - finnman500@hotmail.com 04/11/0905:49:45 04/11/09 (0)
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